A state delegate was sued yesterday for allegedly tricking a Pasadena woman into signing over her house to him in violation of a homeowners protection law that he voted for when it passed the General Assembly in 2005.
Del. Tony McConkey, a Severna Park Republican, is accused of committing "foreclosure rescue fraud," according to the suit filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. Earlier this month, McConkey began eviction proceedings against Teresa Milligan, who claims that she was unaware that she possibly no longer owned her home.
"I felt like he was there to help me," said Milligan, 42. "He did save the house, but I guess he saved it for himself. He didn't save it for me"
Reached yesterday, McConkey said that he moved to evict Milligan - who lives with her 16-year-old daughter and 8-month-old grandchild - because she did not pay rent.
"She's lying," he said when asked about the accusations of fraud. He said that he followed the "letter of the law" when dealing with Milligan and purchasing her home, and has the documents to prove it.
"This seems like a desperate plea to stop the eviction," said McConkey.
Experts said that foreclosure rescue fraud essentially involves a desperate homeowner facing foreclosure who, either knowingly or unwittingly, signs over the deed to a home. The result is that the homeowner loses equity while the "foreclosure consultant" benefits financially. The homeowner often is then kicked out of the home he believes that he still owns.
The suit alleges that McConkey engaged in "fraud and criminal conduct" by misleading Milligan about her options, improperly advising her to dismiss her bankruptcy, even though she already had an attorney and McConkey had been disbarred, and serving as her real estate agent while he was seeking to benefit by buying the property. The suit also alleges that the signature on the deed transferring ownership of the property is not Milligan's.
Kristin Riggin, a spokeswoman for Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee, declined to comment on the case, referring questions to county police.
"I cannot discuss an active police investigation," Riggin said.
A county police spokesman could not be reached for comment yesterday evening.
The topic is politically sensitive, coming two weeks before the Nov. 7 election. McConkey is up for re-election and one of his challengers is Democrat Patricia Weathersbee, the wife of the state's attorney.
